Watching Andrew Bogut cram on JaVale McGee last night made me yearn for the big men of old.

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: Sure, there's some big dudes in this year's NBA playoffs, but where are the freaks?

Here's Bogut's jam in case you missed it:

I have always been fascinated by huge NBA players, particularly players over seven feet tall. Because when you see a seven footer in person, it’s almost cartoonish how big they are. But what about guys that are another half foot or more above that?

For as rare as it is to have one of these guys in the NBA at one time, the 1993-94 season saw four separate players 7-4 or above in the league; Manute Bol, Shawn Bradley, Gheorge Muresan and Rik Smits.

At 7-7, Bol and Muresan are the two tallest players to ever play in the NBA, with Bradley and Yao Ming tied for third. Interestingly, Bol’s height was the result of his genetics while Muresan’s was the result of a pituitary disorder.

Even though they were all 7-4 or above they each had different skill sets. Bol was a straight shot blocker, who led the league in blocks twice, who would occasionally drift behind the three point line and nail a three, which looked especially weird. In 1992-93 he actually shot a respectable 31% from downtown. Statistically he actually ended up with more blocks than points in his career (2,086 vs. 1,599). Toward the end of his career Bol played for both the 76ers and Bullets specifically for the purpose of mentoring Bradley and Muresan.

Muresan was more prone to offense and led the lead in field goal percentage twice. Strangely at 7-7, his career average for blocked shots per game is only 1.5. I remember playing as him in NBA Live 96 for Sega and how incredibly slow he was, just like in real life.

Bradley was the most athletic of the four but that was almost his undoing in certain regards because he didn’t just focus on one thing. He led the league in blocks once, but he got posterized as much as any big man in history which warps public perception of his career.

Interestingly, Bradley had two of the best games of his career against Muresan. In the 1995-96 season he tallied a season high 27 points against him, adding 9 rebounds and four blocks. The next season he had his first career triple double on Muresan, with 19 points, 17 rebounds and 11 blocks.

Smits had the most success of any player 7-4 or above in NBA history. In a 12 year career, Smits averaged 14.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 1.3 bpg for his career. He was an all-star in 1998 and played in the NBA Finals.

But what’s interesting is even though they were the biggest guys on the court, they were also the most fragile and for whatever reason unable to handle the pounding on their bodies for long. All four players’ careers were ultimately ended due to lower leg injuries.

This is the debate surrounding the Washington Wizards' JaVale McGee, who's off-the-glass alley-oop in the third quarter of a recent game drew much reaction.

Wizards' coach Flip Saunders thought it was inappropriate, especially since his squad is 1-11 and needs wins not highlights.

For instance, Saunders thought McGee was trying to garner support for a return to the Slam Dunk Contest (you remember McGee's mom smoching Dr. J, right?). Youngster John Wall and veteran Mo Evans agreed with Saunders that the dunk, while successful, was ill-timed.

Meanwhile McGee justified the play by saying he was simply trying to pump-up the Wizards, and one teammate, Nick Young, agreed.

What do you think? Showboating or enthusiasm? Watch the video, and get at us in the comment box below.

“He probably was talking about me for the simple fact that I said I need the ball in the paint to be effective,” Blatche said. “You can’t keep having me pick and pop and shooting jumpshots. Gimme the ball in the paint. That’s where I’m most effiective at. I’ve been saying that since training camp. I need the ball in the paint. I don’t wand to be the pick-and-pop guy I used to be because it’s not working for me.”

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It would be oh-so easy to criticize Andray Blatche’s comments, especially when considering his track record.

After all, Blatche, a talented post with the Washington Wizards, has a track record. Consider the following:

1) When he first entered the league, veterans mocked his poor professionalism. 2) He openly feuded with coach Flip Saunders over playing time. 3) He got angry at a teammate for grabbing a rebound that fell in his hands and prevented him from registering a triple-double. 4) And he fought teammate JaValee McGee outside the club.

This time it‘s different, though. Blatche is making sense.

When asked about Coach Flip Saunders’ comments following the Washington Wizards’ season opener, the young forward explained he wanted the ball in the post to balance the offense.

And he’s right. Blatche's ability to attract double-teams in the paint would provide open looks for young point guard John Wall and shooting guards Jordan Crawford and Nick Young.

The Wizards’ perimeter players - like Wall, a former first overall pick trying to make his mark in the NBA - wouldn’t have to force shots down the stretch.

Credit Blatche for taking a measured tone. Perhaps after years of struggles, he's learning.

The half time show was ass. Three kids were dancing around shouting through the speakers. If they were good, we couldn’t tell because the sound check guys did not do their jobs. There was too much feed back. I cannot understand what they were saying. The kids looked more like ravers on drugs dancing around with decorative clothes and back packs. They claimed that swag is dead, but their sign is messed up. It reads “Swag is dead.” A slash mark crosses the sentence. Does that mean that swag is not dead? They meant to say “Swag.” A slash mark crossing that word makes sense. No one was amused. Swag itself was not amused.

In a news conference later, union President Derek Fisher didn’t appear to be ruffled by what McGee said. “The person that spent the least amount of time in the room can’t make that statement,” Fisher said. “He’s in no position to make that statement on behalf of the group.”

Tonight’s Miami Heat-Washington Wizards game was full of piss-and-vinegar due to a second quarter skirmish between first overall pick John Wall and veteran Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Wall, who was clearly in the wrong, got ejected. Big ‘Z’ was also sent to the showers for his role in things.

This, however, wasn’t the interesting part.

JaVale McGee and Juwan Howard both rushed to defend teammates Wall and Ilgauskas. They engaged in a shoving match before being separated. Amazingly, the referees ejected Howard, but McGee escaped with only a technical foul.

“I got a triple-double,” McGee said. “Who can say they got a triple-double? I’m not really worried about it.”

McGee said, if anything, he was upset that some tried to discredit his accomplishment by comparing it to other failed triple-double quests — such as the one eight years ago by Ricky Davis, who was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers when he attempted to rebound his own miss on his basket in order to get a triple-double in a win against Utah. Davis finished with 26 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds.

This week, JaVale McGee got a triple-double. Sadly, the young post showed too much emotion when he achieved his statistical feat, especially since his Washington Wizards were getting blown out by the Chicago Bulls.

Clearly, there’s a problem with the working environment of the Wizards. Their young building blocks like Blatche and McGee seem overly concerned with ‘getting there’s’.

They seem to be suffering from what Pat Riley calls me-disease, spending too much time on individual goals like minutes, points, blocks and rebounds.

While winning, the only number that should matter in basketball, is an afterthought.

Worst of all, McGee is defiant. He doesn’t see the error of his ways. And he won’t admit to getting carried away or lost in the moment.

With players like Blatche and McGee, the Wizards will be hard pressed to turn things around.

With the 2011 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest right around the corner, dunk fans have been wondering just what this year's field is going to do in the big show. Check out the video below to hear this year's four high-flyers talk about All-Star Saturday's aerial showdown. Let us know who you think is going to take the crown this year by dropping a comment at the bottom of the page.

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that forward Andray Blatche and center JaVale McGee have both been suspended one game for conduct detrimental to the team. “After further investigation into an incident on Thursday night, we concluded that Andray and JaVale conducted themselves in an unprofessional manner,” said Grunfeld. “As a result, both players will be suspended for tomorrow’s game at San Antonio.”

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Just when you thought the Washington Wizards’ Andray Blatche was becoming a professional, this happens.

Blatche and teammate Javale McGee have each been suspended one game for an altercation outside a Washington nightclub during the late evening/early morning of December 23/24th.

Blatche, a talented but troubled power forward, has showed up coach Flip Saunders by refusing to re-enter a game and even got mad at a teammate for grabbing a rebound, which compromised his chances at a triple-double.

Of course, as a young pro he was arrested for soliciting a prostitute. The prostitute was an undercover police officer.

Yes, Blatche is a gem. Now he’s involving McGee, an equally talented post.

The Wizards must decide if such a character is worth having. Sure, he can score. And sure, he can post numbers. But this often comes at the expense of others –like teammates.

And, it seems, he’ll never grow up.

Perhaps, the Wizards should find a way to make his suspension more permanent.